1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to novel pigments based on zirconium oxide, to a process for the preparation thereof and to the coloration of a wide variety of substrates utilizing such novel pigments.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Inorganic pigment colorants are today widely used in many industries, especially in those of paints, plastics and ceramics. For such applications, the properties of, inter alia, thermal and/or chemical stability, dispersibility (ability of the product to disperse properly in a given medium), intrinsic color, coloring power and opacifying power, constitute a number of particularly important criteria to be taken into consideration in the selection of a suitable pigment.
Unfortunately, the majority of inorganic pigments which are suitable for applications such as the above and which are currently actually employed on an industrial scale generally comprise metals (especially cadmium, lead, chromium or cobalt), the use of which is becoming increasingly strictly controlled, indeed banned, by government legislation and regulation in many countries due to their reputedly very high toxicity.
This is particularly the case in respect of yellow pigments based on cadmium sulfides or lead chromite.
Thus, serious need continues to exist in this art for novel replacement inorganic pigments that are economically viable, suitable for use on an industrial scale and which otherwise avoid the above disadvantages and drawbacks to date characterizing the state of this art.